Periodically when I come to God for supplication of others, I find myself at a loss for words. I aim to lift up their situations, needs, what would benefit them; but it seems like they need so much more than my mind can conjure up. Thankfully, I stumbled upon exceptional instruction in the matter.

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” — Colossians 1:9-12 NKJV

Wow! Exactly what I needed. So, here’s the way I see that broken down.

A prayer for others…

Do not cease to pray for them.

Ask that they may be filled with knowledge of God’s will- a deep and final knowledge of what is laid out in scripture.

Ask for their wisdom and understanding of it, the ability to accumulate and organize principles from scripture and application of those principles to daily living.

That they would “walk worthy”- live in a way that is consistent with the Lord who saved them.

That they will have spiritual fruit..

Lead people to Christ

Praise God

Give money to further the kingdom

Live a godly life

Display holy attitudes

Fruits of the spirit

Increase in the knowledge of God, a love of God’s word, a more perfect obedience, a strong doctrinal foundation, an expanding faith, and a greater love for others.

Strengthening of the spirit through a disciplined mind to study the word, understand it, and live by it.

Energy, revitalization, and empowerment through the spirit by obedience and commitment.

Patience and long-suffering, especially in trials. Patience for enduring circumstances and long-suffering for enduring people.

A thankful heart for Him who qualified us, through his grace, to receive an inheritance instead of wrath.

I sincerely hope this will be helpful to you when you pray for those in your life whom you love. And, if you’re one of those lucky people whom I love, this is how I now pray for you! Please comment and add what you have learned to be beneficial in instruction of prayer.

Common phrases in evangelicalism today include “I felt led to…”, “God told me to….”, and “The Lord laid it on my heart to….” I cringe every time someone uses these phrases because I’ve heard so many unbiblical endings to them. In fact, I’ve seen people’s lives take a million tough twists and turns because they were “following the promptings of God.” For one example, I hesitate to think that God would “prompt” somebody to avoid the ER when their daughter gets a deep cut that probably needs stitches.

If I can speak candidly, I believe this has to do with lack of biblical knowledge. Sinclair Ferguson says that perhaps one reason why our Christian forefathers rarely wrote about finding God’s will is because they knew the Bible better than most Christians today know it. “They concentrated on teaching themselves and…

I’m turning 30 in a few months, and I recently realized I’m now at the age I made a lot of promises about in the past. One of those promises was that if I was still single at 30, I’d try online dating. I’ve had an onslaught of terrible dating experiences in the last year (including someone who turned out to be a drug dealer, someone who was mad I didn’t want to come hang out at his bedbug-infested apartment, and a commitment-phobe friend who constantly appears to be doing an uncanny Jekyll and Hyde impression).

The following is an excerpt of realization in my life. The realization of the consequences of my actions pertaining to my relationship with God. He took me to a desert to cleanse me because he loves me. It would hardly be true to say God finds us and leaves us in our condition. Far from it! He cleanses us from all unrighteousness. It is a creative, sorrowful, tear-jerking, enlightening, beautiful experience.

A prayer: I have given my heart, in tiny and big pieces, to so many lovers. I have strayed from resting my heart in Christ. I have given my body, my service, my affections, my hopes and dreams to so many others. What do I have left for you, Lord? All these fragments of myself, piece them back together for your calling. Cure me of the sentimentalized and neurotic distortions of love that incapacitate me.

During this time I was brought to Hosea. This book is a beautiful depiction of God chasing after his people Israel when all they can do is run from Him. Gomer went after what she thought was her “lovers” because they wine and dined her, caressed her, made her feel special only if for a night. All the while, God was the one who was wining and dining her. At times, most times, I think I can do it on my own. That I have enough holiness and glory in myself to “try real hard” and do this relationship with God. All the while I stumble and fall, picking up the pieces and attempting to put myself together again at day’s end. My attention and affections are grabbed easily- people flatter me, my selfish nature yearns for satisfaction, and I’m taken from God. Knowing our condition, He still pays a price for us and says, “Listen, you are mine and I am yours. We’re living together. No more whoring around on me.” We are all hell-bent on leaving him, but he sticks directly by us. His insides “churn in protest” to leaving us ruined. So he does not act on his anger towards our wandering hearts. Why? “Because I am God and I am not human. I’m the Holy one and I’m here in your midst. (11.1-9)”

I run in the opposite direction of God. I chase after lovers, distractions, and the passions of my heart. I think my life is in my hands and I am guiding my ship blindly. God comes after me hard, finds me, speaks comfort to me. Lord, you cleanse me- wash my soul and tame me. You get the bride ready for a life with you. Then, you marry her outright- keep her under your roof and tame her. This is love, the hard pursuit of the unrequited love of a whore. One who seeks easy cheap pleasure and thrill; seeks to manage her own life. He sees us, who we are and what we’ve done. Yet, he still comes. He is as sure as the dawn as refreshing as the rain (6.3). Its not because of who we are or what we can do for him. It is purely because he loves us. “I will heal their waywardness. I will love them lavishly…I am like a luxuriant fruit tree. Everything you need is to be found in me. (14.4,9)”

How can we understand this love? The beautiful ebb and flow of moments in grace. When we come to that place of realization- who we are and God’s response to that- what joy and sorrow are met there. We know our hearts will wander again. But, for just a moment, we bask in the light of the truth of God’s enduring love and we never want to leave His embrace. The distractions are gone; we glimpse eternity in our hearts, even if for just a moment. A movement of our hearts being held by our creator- our glimmering self and beautifully renewed hearts are exposed. We can almost feel the desires of our hearts being melted and poured into his. This is love- that Christ died for us and set our hearts on fire for the hope of eternity. He has chosen us, he captures us, and will carry our hearts there. Continue to walk in the love story of Hosea, renewing your mind with the gospel message of grace and having a thankful heart toward our Savior.

Hello two people who are going to read this! (I know I’m probably being generous in that assumption). Welcome to my blog. This is a place where I will open up to you in the most honest way I know how, without making you jump off a cliff in fear of humanity.

A little bit about me…

I love change and venture to incorporate it into most aspects of my life.

Coffee is really great.

I’m new to tea, I like that too.

God is my supplier and source of everything, wether I choose to believe it that day or not.